Activist Toolkit

1. What motivates you to seek this office? What skills, experiences, and perspectives would you bring to the Township, and why would those contributions be valuable in the role you are seeking election to?

I believe government is at  its best when it is local, engaged, and responsive.  Township government can be such a government and I  have committed to that for over 15 years.

 I worked in the community for 10 years at the 19th Century Club and also volunteered for the Chamber where I served as President, and the Community Foundation as Grant Chair.  I have also served on the Police Oversight Committee at the VOP.  I believe I have done best to be engaged, active, and knowledgeable as a  community member.  My background, experience, and personal values have been-and will continue to be - brought to my work with the Township.

2. What are the three biggest challenges or opportunities you expect Oak Park Township to face in the coming years, and how would you work with your colleagues to address these challenges or realize these opportunities?

Staying “on Mission” -  We are often called upon for support and investment from the community and local partners.  It is critically important that we work to stay loyal and committed to our mission - and to our values.

1. Telling our Story to the community - In my time in Oak Park, the Township has struggled to tell the Village who we are, what we do, and why it’s all vital and important.  We must have a higher position and presence in  Oak Park Park and our slate is committed to working to “get the word out” to all residents and fellow governing bodies.

2. Finances - We have a history of excellent financial management.  We expect we will face more financial challenges in the future from the State, post-pandemic results, and from our other Village governing bodies.  Living within our limits is critically important.  Maintaining our current services and support is our goal and our responsibility and taking steps to enhance those services and support when needed is an even greater responsibility.

We have always worked to address any challenge or opportunity with consensus.  Consensus is achieved by taking our opinion and beliefs into open and honest consideration.  In addition, we bring any of our own areas of experience or expertise to a consideration.  And we are always led by our shared values, goals, and mission.

3. How will you balance competing interests, such as your own values and opinions, input from Township staff and fellow Trustees, and diverse views from the community? How would you describe your leadership style and your decision-making process generally? 

I believe my primary responsibility is to the residents of Oak Park - all of them - regardless of their votes, their backgrounds, their economics, their status.  I have always kept that “up front” in all decision-making and in all staff matters.

 How would you describe your leadership style and your decision-making process generally? 

I work to listen to all voices and to hear all sides openly when making decisions and decisions are not made lightly or casually.  I support transparency and work to keep it in constant focus.  Any and all decisions are the result of honest and complete

4. What values would you bring to the budgeting process?  What changes do you favor in the process by which the Township conducts its budgeting and fiscal planning?

Our budgeting process and fiscal planning is solid and have served the community well.  Process and planning are led by our values -service,community, and caring.  We work to serve our community with great care as we provide support and services. Process and planning include constant attention to 5 year  projections as well as current budget goals and targets.  

5. How will you balance the community's desire to decrease the property tax burden with the Township’s mission of providing an array of services and supports to the community, including youth and seniors?

Our budgeting has been successful for 20+ years.   We have recorded the smallest tax increases of any government in the Village since 2000.  Last year, our levy - with no TIF benefit (our Board’s decision) was under 6%.  We are maintaining our budget and will pursue greater collaboration with all taxing bodies to continue maintaining and we will also seek state, federal, and private grants.

6. How do you define equity? Have recent discussions in the larger community informed or changed your thinking? 

Equity = fairness, impartiality, and justice in all and shown to all, abandoning preconceived notions and beliefs 

Recent discussions have neither changed nor informed my thinking.  We are working hard to make sure achieving equity is now a goal we all embrace.

7. How do you plan to solicit feedback from people who may be experiencing this community in a different way than you? What barriers do you believe may exist in this process?

Our 3 volunteer committees provide feedback from the community on a regular basis.  Our “open door” policy helps provide additional feedback.  We also have a survey tool that has been distributed to clients.

 What barriers do you believe may exist in this process? 

Feedback is not often as formalized and widely distributed as is most helpful.   And a reliance on computers has been a serious hindrance for senior citizens and anyone who lacks the necessary technological access.  Maintaining accurate and reliable contact information is also a challenge.  And, getting a feedback tool to be taken seriously presents a problem for which there are few answers.

8. Residents often express confusion about the disparate roles of the Village and the Township, particularly in the wake of the advisory referendum on consolidation in 2018. What steps would you take to increase the visibility and community awareness of the Township’s mission and programs?

As I mentioned, we are going to work to improve communication by “telling our story” more clearly, more often, and to more constituents.

9. What relationship do you believe the Township should have with the other local taxing bodies? How can the Township and other government bodies work best together?

We believe it  is essential for all of the taxing bodies to collaborate in order to serve all of our residents.  We need  allies and partners who see and appreciate the value of the services we provide and who will serve the community with us.  Specifically, we would appreciate financial support for our Youth Services from the Village.  We would appreciate the opportunity to discuss this with their board.

Support of Youth Services by the school districts and the Village is very necessary and important.  The services we provide are professional and responsive.  Supporting them and increasing their availability is key for the social health of the community. 

10. What lessons learned from the adjustment of service and program delivery during the pandemic do you believe will be applicable going forward, even after the pandemic abates?

Our Senior Services department, along with staff and volunteer support was able to serve over 20,000 meals to those in need.  Additionally, a hotline has been established to help senior citizens manage the vaccination process.  All other departments have maintained services throughout the pandemic, even on a limited basis as required.

We would like to maintain the relationships and client connections we have initiated during and as a result of the pandemic.  At this point, that is our  goal.

11. Private fundraising for a proposed Community Recreation Center has begun. What resources do you believe the Township can or should bring to such a project? How do you see the Community Recreation Center leveraging existing local facilities and programs?

The Community Mental Health Board is planning on supporting the Rec Center.  There are plans to include some of the Township staff in staffing the Center.  This will make services more accessible and widely known as Township services.

12. What concerns you most about the state of service availability in Oak Park? Is there a particular issue that motivates you to serve?

At present, knowledge of available service is a problem.  And funding will continue to present challenges.  We work to be as available as is needed, providing services to those in need.  Where services are needed, we do our best to see to their provision.

I believe in local governance because of its ability to be responsive and effective. I will work - and have always worked - to make the Township that local government in Oak Park.

13. How will you collaborate with neighboring communities? Discuss a specific initiative you would wish to undertake. What benefits and challenges would you anticipate?

I will work to maintain our relationships with River Forest Township.  This only enhances the availability of services and fosters stronger relationships. Our senior and youth services currently share responsibilities and provide enhanced services.

14. Give an example of a time when you worked to understand a situation or view different from your own. What helped you to move through that process? What hindered you as you moved through the process?

[The candidate did not answer this question.]

15. Two advisory referenda were added to the ballot in Oak Park in November of last year through a process at the Township. Do you believe non-binding referenda such as these are a useful tool for governance and civic engagement? Why or why not?

Any time citizens participate in governance and civic engagement, our Village benefits.  The referenda serve to introduce the community to various opinions and concerns.  And that's always good.  It also involves more citizens in a government process and that is also good.  Our experience with the process has always shown how uninformed citizens have become.  Many people are content to be uninformed.  

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[The above answers were supplied on 2/19/21.]